Giving thanks to the creator....

[neverfoundthetime]

… of TG, the one and only Matt Williams!

If it wasn’t for Matt dropping in on Neil in Los Gatos for a spontaneous lesson years ago, none of us here would be talking to each other or meeting up, playing guitar together or even know each other. But so many of us have become firm friends and now cross the world and meet up whenever we can, as Corina and I are doing right now.

We just made a wonderful pre-camp round trip from Los Gatos to Phoenix to San Diego to Ventura and back up Highway 1 to Los Gatos visiting Bart, Craig and Jason and Neil and Nani and their families. We had a blast reuniting with what have become dear, dear friends. And I had never even been in the same room as Craig and Jason (MJ, or Music Junky) before although we have known each other for 9 years. We all said the same thing: we are so grateful for Matt and Neil giving us a fantastic learning site and the opportunity to meet, hook up and get together in real life to play our music and become friends and be exposed to wonderful teachers such as Neil, Vanessa, Max, Dave Nachmanoff, Doug Young and Jim Bruno and even stars like Muriel Anderson and Al Stewart! It has added so much to our lives and we will be eternally grateful for all that TG has given us. It has touched and changed our lives.

So here is a huge, heart-felt shout out of appreciation and thanks to the creator of TG, to the man who had the vision and drive to transform a chance meeting with a master guitar teacher into a home and watering hole for guitar learners from all over the world. Thanks for touching our lives Matt!

Chris

[Craig]

Very well stated Chris!

What an incredible week I had getting to meet Bart, Chris, Corina, and Vanessa in person! I had always hoped to meet them in person someday thinking it would be a great experience. Our meeting went way beyond my expectations! Very genuine and wonderful people.

If you had told me 9 years ago that I would have a man from Switzerland and a woman from Holland sitting in my living room doing an incredible version of "Scarborough Fair", or two woman from Holland singing like angels in my backyard, or playing "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" with a guy from Phoenix in the Taylor Factory, I would have said, "you're crazy!"

But sure enough, it happened this past week and I have Matt and Neil to thank for that. I've always referred to Bart, Chris, Corina, and Vanessa as my "TG Friends". However, now I will just refer to them as Friends.

Thank you Matt and Neil.

Craig

[thereshopeyet]

Great Post Chris,

Thanks Matt and Neil

Dermot

[sandysue]

Thank you Chris for expressing all of the love and appreciation we all feel for Neil and Matt and their TG website, and all of the friends we have met from all around the world along the way. We are truly a family in every sense of the word. And the beat goes on.

Sandy

Ps thank you Dermot for posting that video on the Genesis of the TG website.

[familyman4]

Gang,

I am late to the party of appreciation here and I apologize for that. In just a few words, it would be almost impossible for me to express the appreciation that I have for what TG and the IGC camps have given to me! From the lessons that are always top shelf on the site and at IGC, to the friendships that will last a lifetime, I owe a debt that can never fully be repaid.

With the work that I do for a living, I have the opportunity to travel around the country and when I have the chance, I look up fellow TG/IGC friends in their hometowns. We usually play guitars for a while but we always get to know each other better and build on our friendships. It would surprise most of you to know exactly how many folks I've been able to visit with from our site. This would never have been possible w/o TG and IGC being such a huge part of my life! Then, having Chris and Corina take the time to visit Arizona and meet my family while coming in for IGC California, what can I say except the visit was spectacular! Plus, I even got to spend some time with Craig during the same week while going with them to the Taylor Guitar factory tour in El Cajon Ca. Craig and I have been trying to get together for several years, now it has happened and will happen again. 2 weeks prior, Ted Watson and I (along with our wives) spent several wonderful days together in Seattle. Again playing a lot of guitar & enjoying each others company and going to a Jackson Browne concert! Again, the list goes on so Thank you fellow TGer's for making me feel so special and for our friendships!

So with this being said, I would like to also take this opportunity to encourage each member of TG to find a way to get to an IGC camp in the near future! Yes, it could be in California or it could be in Amsterdam, just try your best to attend one and you too will feel the magic! Who knows, maybe we can even get an IGC East coast up and running for the friends in that area of the world?

A sincere Thank You TG!

A member forever and coming to a town near you.....

Bart / Familyman4

[TGNeil]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. I too am very thankful for the path we have been on for about 10 years now, and cannot thank Matt enough for the crazy suggestion that we start an instructional website. He knew that the only way to make this a great thing was to get the Community involved. Neither of us could have imagined the positive impact it would have on so many lives. I only wish we were geographically closer at the moment but there may be a trip to Tasmania in my fall plans.

Neil

[wiley]

I do not beleive I can put in words what TG and IGC has meant to myself, my family, and so many others. From friends made to challenges accomplished, I know my life has been changed in so many wonderful ways. The entire TG family, from Matt and Neil to Jameela and all the ones in the background we never see. Mr. Bruno, Ness, Corina, Max, Mr. Young and Dr. Nachmanoff, I would have never found any of you without this place and I cannot imagine my life now without you. Bob and Bob, Jason, Rick, Dan, Tom, Lynn, Sandy, Bart, Jeff, Chris, John and so many others, thanks for enriching not only my world but so many others.

I’m on a plane in a few hours, Donna and I are going out early to enjoy a few days in Monterey, and on to Asilomar on Friday. Work will have Donna flying out Saturday unfortunately. So to all those who will miss this year, you will be missed. To those already there or soon will be, see ya soon!

[Music Junkie]

I hope that Neil and Matt know by now how much they mean to me, and what their brainchild has meant to so many of us. It is easy to be part of an online community and I am sure we are all part of a few, or maybe even several. However, none of the others that I belong to has offered up the opportunity to physically meet and enjoy each other's company. I doubt anyone could have foreseen the results of this so long ago when we were all huddled around our computers for the first few TG-Lives. Chris and I were joking about being friends for 9-10yrs and just now meeting in real life. It sure made the time together more enjoyable.

I also can't go without saying that we are all very lucky that Vanessa decided to join the site at one point. From the beginning she offered her time and knowledge freely, and with great spirit. It was not a shocker, but a pleasant surprise when Neil and Matt announced her addition to the Family. That was another wonderful moment in the TG timeline. Without Vanessa, we would never have been introduced to Corina. What a stroke of luck. To sit and listen to the two of them sing together is such a treat. To sit and visit with them and consider them friends is something I hold very dear.

I have also been lucky enough to have Rick (Big Bear) over while he was passing through for work. We were able to share a pint and a nice meal. A very special memory for me. I hope we can do it again. Wiley and I always threaten to meet up in Vegas, and I am sure it will happen someday. I'll have to get drunk and embarrass him to get back at him for all the times he has drug my butt up on stage with little to no preparation.... Craig and I only live 3.5hrs apart, and will certainly have a pint or two at some point.

I have been lucky enough to attend 4 IGC's and will forever be grateful for the friendships and memories. I can honestly say that some of the best people I know have come from this site. To all of you that I have met at those IGC's, and to all of you that I still have not met in person, thank you for making this such a wonderful place. Jeff, Dave, Doug, Jim, Lynn, Sandy, Nani, Rebecca, Anne, Ted, Bart, Robb, Chris, Victor, Ron, Tom, all of the Bob's (inside joke), Andy, Dan, and all the others. I am glad to know all of you. We are all very lucky.... B)

Now, get back to work and play more music!

Jason

[spinland]

Wow; late to this party, myself!

I doan think I can add much to the good words already shared here, so here's a resounding ME, TOO!

You guys have been a touchstone for my (slow, painful, but fun) guitar journey and we ain't done yet! :side:

Mark